Derby County: EFL disciplinary charges were 'unnecessary', say Championship club
- Published
Derby County sold Pride Park to owner Mel Morris for £80m, and then leased the stadium back
Derby County say the English Football League's "unnecessary" charges against the club will have cost the league "hundreds of thousands of pounds".
The Rams were cleared of two alleged breaches of EFL rules, including the valuation of Pride Park before its sale, on Tuesday.
The sale of the ground for £80m helped the Championship club post a pre-tax profit in their 2017-18 accounts.
Derby claim all member clubs will have to contribute to the EFL's legal costs.
However, the independent disciplinary commission's written reasons for its decision stated the EFL was entitled to bring both charges against the club.
Owner Mel Morris' purchase of Pride Park enabled Derby to meet the EFL's spending rules, which permit Championship clubs to lose £39m over a three-year period.
The stadium was previously listed as an asset worth £41m on the club's books.
The sale proved controversial, with some clubs arguing it gave Derby an unfair advantage.
The league charged Derby with a breach of its spending rules in January.
The decision to dismiss the charges - the second of which related to how the club measured the value of players - means Derby have avoided a potential points deduction and fine which would have been implemented in the 2020-21 campaign.
Both parties have a 14-day window in which to appeal against the verdict.
"The case brought by the EFL has taken almost eight months to deal with, and the way it was pursued meant that both sides incurred substantial legal costs," said a statement on the club website., external
"The club estimates the EFL's failed proceedings has cost it hundreds of thousands of pounds.
"Ultimately, that is money all the member clubs will be asked to pay, and that could have been used by those clubs in these difficult times.
"It is regrettable that clubs who had no involvement in these proceedings ultimately have to pick up the bill for the EFL's legal costs, and those clubs who strongly encouraged the EFL to bring proceedings against Derby ought to ask themselves whether they think that outcome is fair."
The EFL has said it will not comment on Derby's statement.